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Keep up to date with Ann and Ron's slimming diary...

Ann and Ron Bennett from Gloucester, are taking part in ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire's new year, new you slimming programme and have agreed to be our very own online slimming guinea-pigs!

With the help of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire and local fitness experts, Ann and Ron hope to shift those unwanted pounds and improve their fitness.

The dieting duo will send us their slimming diary and keep us informed of their progress.

Background info

Ann is 66 years old and a retired pharmacy technician. She is 5ft 4, and admits to being over 12 stone.

Ron is also 66 years old. He is a painter and decorator and a part-time DIY assistant. He is 5ft 10 and over 14 stones.

Ann and Ron want to lose the title fattest Granny and Grampy town

Why do we want to slim?

Excess weight means we're unfit, flabby, look older than our years, lethargic and rapidly running out of clothes that fit us.

We like walking and swimming, but lack of energy and motivation means not doing as much as we should and so it's a vicious circle.

We are fed up with being labelled the fattest Granny and Grampy in the world.

Ann and Ron

Ann gets some breathing and irritable bowel syndrome problems which only occur when overweight.

We are fed up with being labelled the fattest Granny and Grampy in the world and the crunch came before Christmas when Ron was almost unable to sing in his choir's Xmas concert because he couldn't do up the neck button on his dress shirt!

Why are we starting to slim and get fit now?

Ann's health suffers due to her excess weight

We're both roughly aware of where we're going wrong, but always, unless we've got some real motivation or incentive (such as a family wedding etc.) we're pretty weak willed and soon relapse.

So when we heard ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire's offer to help people like us, we wrote in.

After all if we were monitored, we wouldn't want to let the whole of Gloucestershire hear that we give up so easily!

We thought maybe by getting expert advice on eating and exercise, and tips from people who have been successful that perhaps we too might succeed.

Why are we so fat and unfit?

We've thought about this! Since Ann retired there's been less exercise.

Ron hopes to lose two stone

Often sensible eating would happen most of the day but then we'd binge on bits and pieces the grandchildren haven't eaten or food left over. (We mustn't waste things!)

Evenings are a trap, crisps, biscuits with coffee. And Visits to the garage or newsagent mean high calorie things just fly into your hands!

Healthy walks often lead straight to the shop with lovely cakes, biscuits and sweets. Ron can't pass by the works vending machine without getting something.

So what has happened so far?

New Year's Day brought with it a conscience after a multi million calorie intake over Christmas - lovely!

But w cleared away the chocolates and nuts etc., and tried to think about sensible eating.

Then we remembered we needn't start dieting on January 1st like we always do. well for a couple of weeks anyway!

New Year's Day brought with it a conscience after a multi million calorie intake over Christmas - lovely!

Ann and Ron

Why? Because Edward Beard our contact at ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire told us we needn't start seriously dieting until about January 5th.

This was the perfect excuse and meant we could eat up those left over naughties after all.

For the last few days we've tried cutting out snacks between meal, but we guess main meals leave a lot to be desired slimwise and exercise - what exercise?

So now we're looking forward to meeting up next week with the health experts.

What do we hope to achieve and will we succeed?

Well we both want to lose at least two stone and inch loss (and keep it like that!)

We want to gain fitness and vitality and maintain it.

We have made up our mind that once we start then WE WILL SUCCEED.

But we both know we're going to find it tough and we'll need lots of help and encouragement.

Sorry for the long tale but many people will recognise our problems.

So watch this space and we'll keep you up to date with progress.

If you would like to comment on this or any other story in this section get in touch at gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk

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